How XQ Aligns with the NSA’s Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines and Industry Best Practices
Introduction
On January 14, 2026, the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) published the first in its Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines (ZIGs) series, a Primer and a Discovery Phase, to help organizations operationalize zero trust principles with practical, phased steps. These documents are designed to support achievement of target-level capabilities and outcomes in the Department of War (DoW) Zero Trust framework, emphasizing foundational visibility, modular implementation, and readiness for deeper phases of zero trust adoption.
This article explains how XQ’s Zero Trust Data Security platform aligns with this NSA guidance and differentiates from other solutions.
NSA Zero Trust Data Requirements and How XQ Aligns
The NSA Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines make clear that data is not a byproduct of zero trust— it is a primary control surface. While identity, device, network, and application controls establish context, the NSA’s position is that zero trust ultimately succeeds or fails based on how data is classified, protected, governed, and controlled throughout its lifecycle.
Below are the explicit Zero Trust Data requirements implied and stated across the NSA Primer, Discovery Phase guidance, and the DoW-aligned Zero Trust Data Pillar, followed by how XQ directly satisfies each requirement.
1. Comprehensive Data Discovery and Inventory
NSA Requirement
Organizations must be able to identify, inventory, and understand their data—including where it resides, how it moves, who accesses it, and its mission sensitivity. Discovery is a prerequisite to enforcement.
XQ Alignment
Continuous data discovery across structured and unstructured data
Persistent metadata, classification labels, and ownership attributes bound to each data object
Visibility that persists even as data moves across clouds, systems, users, and partners
XQ treats discovery as a living state, not a one-time scan—directly aligned with NSA Discovery Phase guidance.
2. Data Classification and Labeling as a Control Plane
NSA Requirement
Zero trust data controls require machine-readable classification and tagging to drive policy decisions dynamically. Manual or static labeling is insufficient at scale.
XQ Alignment
Native data labeling embedded at the data-object level
Labels persist with the data and are enforced cryptographically
Labels directly drive access policy, encryption, sharing, and revocation
This enables NSA-aligned policy-driven, automated enforcement rather than human-dependent workflows.
3. Strong Encryption with Externalized Key Management
NSA Requirement
Sensitive data must be encrypted at rest, in transit, and in use, with keys protected, segmented, and preferably external to the data platform to prevent platform-level compromise.
XQ Alignment
Per-object encryption (cryptographic micro-segmentation)
External key management and customer-controlled keys
Keys and policy decisions are separated from storage, application, and network layers
This directly supports NSA guidance on blast-radius reduction and resilience under assumed breach.
4. Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) for Data
NSA Requirement
Static, role-only access is insufficient. Access decisions must incorporate identity, role, device posture, location, mission context, and risk—evaluated continuously.
XQ Alignment
Fine-grained ABAC and RBAC enforced at the data layer
Contextual attributes such as geography, organization, clearance, and environment
Access evaluated every time data is accessed, not just at login or session start
This satisfies the NSA mandate for “never trust, always verify” applied directly to data.
5. Continuous Monitoring, Auditing, and Telemetry
NSA Requirement
Zero trust requires continuous data access monitoring, immutable audit logs, and telemetry that supports detection, response, and forensics.
XQ Alignment
Full data access provenance with user, device, time, and location context
Immutable audit trails aligned to federal compliance and investigative needs
Real-time visibility into attempted and successful access
This enables NSA-aligned operational readiness, not just compliance reporting.
6. Dynamic Policy Enforcement and Revocation
NSA Requirement
Zero trust data controls must support dynamic policy changes, including the ability to revoke access when risk changes—even after data has been distributed.
XQ Alignment
Remote policy enforcement and access revocation (“control leash”)
Ability to suspend, expire, or geographically restrict data access post-distribution
Enforcement independent of storage location or network boundary
This directly supports NSA’s assume-breach model and incident response expectations.
7. Data-Centric Micro-Segmentation
NSA Requirement
Micro-segmentation must extend beyond networks to data itself, limiting lateral movement even if perimeter, identity, or endpoint controls fail.
XQ Alignment
Each data object is individually encrypted and policy-bound
Compromise of one dataset does not expose others
No implicit trust based on system, network, or application
XQ implements true data micro-segmentation, which most zero trust architectures leave unaddressed.
8. Automation and Scalability
NSA Requirement
Zero trust data controls must be automated, scalable, and enforceable at machine speed, suitable for cloud, coalition, and mission environments.
XQ Alignment
Automated classification, key enforcement, access decisions, and auditing
API-driven integration with identity, cloud, and application ecosystems
Designed for hybrid, multi-cloud, edge, and disconnected environments
This enables operational zero trust, not manual policy management.
Why This Matters in the NSA Zero Trust Plan
The NSA guidance is explicit that organizations cannot “network their way” to zero trust. Network and identity controls provide context—but data controls determine mission success under compromise.
XQ aligns with the NSA Zero Trust plan by:
Treating data as the primary security boundary
Enforcing policy cryptographically, not circumstantially
Enabling continuous control before, during, and after access
Supporting DoD, IC, and federal mission realities (coalitions, contractors, cloud, edge)
In short, XQ does not just support NSA Zero Trust Data requirements—it operationalizes them.
NSA Guidance & XQ in Context of Zero Trust Ecosystem
While the NSA ZIGs lay out the framework and phased approach for zero trust implementation, successful enterprise adoption requires specific enforcement at identity, device, network, and data layers. XQ’s emphasis on data aligns with NSA’s recognition of data as a critical pillar in Zero Trust architecture—complementing other pillars such as network segmentation and device identity.
Key Differentiators of XQ:
Data-Centric Zero Trust: Unlike solutions that primarily focus on network access or session control, XQ embeds zero trust enforcement at the data object level, ensuring protection even if network or identity controls are circumvented.
Control Leash: The ability to remotely revoke or suspend access to encrypted data objects, regardless of location, enables dynamic incident response not typical in traditional frameworks.
Unified Platform: XQ provides a single pane for governance, classification, access control, monitoring, and encryption across systems and clouds, streamlining implementation and operations compared to disjointed toolchains.
Regulatory Alignment: Built specifically to meet stringent compliance regimes (DoD ZT Data Pillar, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, etc.), XQ is positioned as a practical implementation tool for enterprise Zero Trust mandates rather than a partial component.
1. Foundational Visibility and Discovery
Data Inventory and Cataloging: XQ maintains a dynamic data catalog that inventories data assets and associated metadata (labels, classification, ownership, risk context), directly supporting the Discovery Phase emphasis on understanding critical data and services.
Continuous Data Monitoring: Real-time sensing and activity tracking provide ongoing visibility into access patterns and anomalies, satisfying NSA’s call for comprehensive discovery and monitoring prior to enforcement.
2. Modular Implementation and Phased Maturity
Flexible Deployment: XQ integrates across cloud, edge, hybrid, application, and storage environments, allowing organizations to start with high-impact assets and extend incrementally—aligned with the modular structure of the NSA ZIGs.
Data-Centric Focus: Unlike network-only approaches, XQ places security controls at the data object level, enabling phased maturity that first ensures data governance and control, then progresses to real-time enforcement and automation.
3. Zero Trust Principles Operationalized
Never Trust, Always Verify: Every access request is evaluated with attribute-based controls, including role, identity, location, and context, ensuring that trust is continuously verified before access is granted.
Least Privilege Enforcement: XQ enforces fine-grained role-based and attribute-based access control (RBAC/ABAC) policies at the record level, ensuring minimal necessary access.
Micro-Segmentation of Data: By wrapping each data object with unique encryption keys and policies, XQ effectively micro-segments data flows, limiting lateral movement in case of compromise.
Continuous Monitoring and Forensic Visibility: XQ logs detailed access trails with context and geotags, underpinning NSA’s continuous monitoring expectations and enabling prioritization for remediation.
4. Automation and Policy Enforcement
Automated Policy Application: XQ automates data classification, tagging, RBAC/ABAC enforcement, and geo-fencing, lowering manual effort and aligning with NSA’s broader guidance on automation and orchestration of security tasks.
Remote Policy Control (“Control Leash”): Unique to XQ, the control leash allows remote suspension or revocation of access to data even after distribution, adding a dynamic enforcement capability that reduces blast radius during incidents.
XQ’s Zero Trust Data Security platform operationalizes the NSA’s guidance at the data layer, providing capabilities that fulfill both the spirit and structure of NSA ZIGs and the DoW Zero Trust framework.
